The average asking rent in Canada was $2,034 a month in September 2026 for all property types listed for rent, a change of -4.2% from a year earlier, according to the monthly rent report by Rentals.ca and Urbanation. Statistics Canada’s average asking rent across the metropolitan areas it tracks was $1,730 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,130 for a two-bedroom in the second quarter of 2026. Tenants who have stayed put pay less: in CMHC’s October 2025 survey of purpose-built rental apartments, the average two-bedroom rented for $1,550, counting every unit, occupied or vacant.
Average rent by unit size
| Unit size | Asking rent, apartments (Statistics Canada, second quarter of 2026) | Change from a year earlier | Asking rent, all property types (Rentals.ca, September 2026) | CMHC rent, units with a new tenant (October 2025) | CMHC rent, units with a sitting tenant (October 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor or studio | $1,410 | -3.4% | $1,571 | $1,291 | $1,121 |
| One-bedroom | $1,730 | -2.8% | $1,756 | $1,562 | $1,334 |
| Two-bedroom | $2,130 | -3.6% | $2,138 | $1,783 | $1,497 |
| Three-bedroom | $2,510 | -3.8% | $2,489 | $1,990 | $1,645 |
Statistics Canada Table 46-10-0092-01, apartments in all census metropolitan areas combined; Rentals.ca National Rent Report; CMHC Rental Market Report data tables, privately initiated apartment buildings of three or more units in centres of 10,000 people or more. A new tenant is one who moved in during the 12 months before the survey.
The three sources count different things. Statistics Canada and Rentals.ca average the rents on listings, so they show what a new tenant is asked to pay today, in purpose-built rentals and in what Statistics Canada calls the secondary rental market, such as condos, houses and townhomes. CMHC surveys purpose-built buildings every October and averages the rent on every unit, so its figures include tenants whose leases were signed years ago.
Average rent by province
| Province | One-bedroom, tenant moved in within the year | Two-bedroom, tenant moved in within the year | Two-bedroom, all tenants | Vacancy rate | One-bedroom asking rent (Rentals.ca) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | $1,932 | $2,337 | $2,065 | 3.5% | $2,055 |
| Alberta | $1,392 | $1,658 | $1,680 | 4.3% | $1,482 |
| Saskatchewan | $1,262 | $1,486 | $1,451 | 3.4% | $1,268 |
| Manitoba | $1,254 | $1,547 | $1,507 | 2.9% | $1,438 |
| Ontario | $1,828 | $2,167 | $1,827 | 3.2% | $1,978 |
| Quebec | $1,241 | $1,492 | $1,273 | 2.7% | $1,698 |
| New Brunswick | $1,218 | $1,477 | $1,368 | 2.9% | n/a |
| Nova Scotia | $1,657 | $1,963 | $1,711 | 2.6% | $1,990 |
| Prince Edward Island | $1,199 | $1,467 | $1,293 | 2.1% | n/a |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $1,105 | $1,463 | $1,208 | 2.1% | n/a |
| Canada | $1,562 | $1,783 | $1,550 | 3.1% | $1,756 |
The first four columns are rents paid and vacancy from CMHC’s October 2025 Rental Market Survey, privately initiated apartment buildings of three or more units in centres of 10,000 people or more; new tenants moved in during the 12 months before the survey. The last column is the Rentals.ca asking rent for apartments and condos, September 2026 (n/a: not in its report); the Canada row’s asking rent covers all property types.
Among the provinces, the average two-bedroom rent paid by all tenants in purpose-built apartments in CMHC’s October 2025 survey ranged from $1,208 in Newfoundland and Labrador to $2,065 in British Columbia.
Average rent by city
| City | One-bedroom asking rent | Change from a year earlier | Two-bedroom asking rent | Change from a year earlier | CMHC two-bedroom, all tenants | CMHC vacancy rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver, BC | $2,280 | -4.2% | $3,030 | -4.1% | $2,363 | 3.7% |
| Victoria, BC | $2,040 | -2.4% | $2,640 | -2.6% | $2,120 | 3.3% |
| Kelowna, BC | $1,880 | n/a | $2,330 | n/a | $2,118 | 6.4% |
| Calgary, AB | $1,550 | -6.1% | $1,890 | -6.4% | $1,914 | 5.0% |
| Edmonton, AB | $1,260 | -2.3% | $1,570 | -2.5% | $1,603 | 3.8% |
| Saskatoon, SK | $1,340 | 3.9% | $1,620 | 5.2% | $1,548 | 3.3% |
| Regina, SK | $1,250 | 1.6% | $1,480 | 1.4% | $1,473 | 2.7% |
| Winnipeg, MB | $1,320 | 3.9% | $1,660 | 1.8% | $1,571 | 2.8% |
| Toronto, ON | $2,090 | -2.8% | $2,650 | -0.7% | $2,046 | 3.0% |
| Ottawa, ON | $1,900 | -2.6% | $2,360 | -2.9% | $1,926 | 3.0% |
| Hamilton, ON | $1,720 | -3.9% | $2,150 | 0.0% | $1,656 | 3.6% |
| Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, ON | $1,740 | -4.4% | $2,120 | -1.9% | $1,832 | 4.1% |
| London, ON | $1,560 | -4.3% | $1,920 | -4.0% | $1,651 | 4.0% |
| Windsor, ON | $1,520 | 2.7% | $1,850 | 2.8% | $1,454 | 3.7% |
| Montreal, QC | $1,480 | -3.3% | $1,820 | -5.2% | $1,346 | 2.9% |
| Gatineau, QC | $1,440 | -3.4% | $1,700 | n/a | $1,460 | 3.8% |
| Quebec City, QC | $1,210 | 2.5% | $1,460 | -2.0% | $1,277 | 2.4% |
| Sherbrooke, QC | $1,040 | -1.9% | $1,300 | 5.7% | $1,062 | 2.7% |
| Halifax, NS | $1,880 | 4.4% | $2,400 | 5.3% | $1,826 | 2.7% |
| Moncton, NB | $1,290 | -0.8% | $1,460 | -2.0% | $1,453 | 3.9% |
| Fredericton, NB | $1,430 | 5.1% | $1,670 | 3.1% | $1,413 | 2.5% |
| Saint John, NB | $1,230 | 1.7% | $1,530 | 1.3% | $1,290 | 1.9% |
| St. John’s, NL | $1,270 | n/a | $1,530 | n/a | $1,361 | 2.0% |
Asking rents: Statistics Canada Table 46-10-0092-01, apartments, second quarter of 2026, change from the same quarter a year earlier (n/a: not published). CMHC: Rental Market Survey, October 2025, privately initiated apartment buildings of three or more units. Ottawa is the Ontario part of the Ottawa-Gatineau area and Gatineau the Quebec part.
Of these 23 metropolitan areas, the one-bedroom asking rent was highest in Vancouver at $2,280 and lowest in Sherbrooke at $1,040.
Are rents going up or down?
Asking rents are falling. Rentals.ca counts 24 consecutive months to September 2026 in which the national asking rent was lower than a year earlier. Condo rents fell the most, -7.8% on the year, against -2.7% for purpose-built apartments. Yearly averages of Statistics Canada’s quarterly figures show the longer run:
| Year | One-bedroom asking rent | Change from the year before | Two-bedroom asking rent | Change from the year before |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,342 | n/a | $1,590 | n/a |
| 2020 | $1,375 | 2.4% | $1,622 | 2.0% |
| 2021 | $1,388 | 0.9% | $1,680 | 3.5% |
| 2022 | $1,562 | 12.6% | $1,930 | 14.9% |
| 2023 | $1,765 | 13.0% | $2,165 | 12.2% |
| 2024 | $1,808 | 2.4% | $2,228 | 2.9% |
| 2025 | $1,780 | -1.5% | $2,188 | -1.8% |
Statistics Canada Table 46-10-0092-01, apartments, all census metropolitan areas combined: the average of the four quarters. The series starts in 2019.
Rents kept rising for tenants overall: CMHC’s measure of two-bedroom rent change for the same units, which leaves out new buildings, rose 5.1% in the year to October 2025, with about 40% of the rise coming from units that changed tenants. The rent landlords set on new leases for a two-bedroom fell in most large cities over the same year, with Edmonton, Ottawa and Montreal among the exceptions.
Why new tenants pay more than sitting tenants
In CMHC’s October 2025 survey, a two-bedroom that had changed tenants in the past year rented for $1,783 on average, against $1,497 for one that had not, a gap of 19%. Statistics Canada gives two reasons asking rents run above what renters pay: leases signed in the past are subject to price controls in some provinces, and the units on the market differ from occupied ones in age, location and what the rent includes. Each province’s limits on increases for sitting tenants are on our rent increase rules by province page.
Vacancy rates
CMHC counts a unit as vacant if, on survey day, it is empty and available to rent right away. The national vacancy rate for purpose-built rental apartments rose to 3.1% in October 2025 from 2.2% a year earlier, above its 10-year average. CMHC links the rise to weak growth in renter households and more rental supply. A higher rate gives renters more choice: CMHC reports that purpose-built landlords offered new tenants incentives such as a month of free rent, moving allowances and signing bonuses. Condominium apartments rented out by their owners were tighter, at 1.3% vacant across the 17 metropolitan areas CMHC surveys for condos.
Rent in seven large cities
Each table gives Statistics Canada’s asking rent for apartments in the second quarter of 2026 and the average rent CMHC found all tenants paying in purpose-built apartments in October 2025.
Calgary
A one-bedroom apartment in Calgary was listed at $1,550 a month on average in the second quarter of 2026 and a two-bedroom at $1,890, changes of -6.1% and -6.4% from a year earlier. The purpose-built vacancy rate was 5.0%; CMHC calls it unchanged from the year before and a sign of balanced supply and demand. CMHC found no change in rent for the same units that was statistically different from zero.
| Unit size | Asking rent | CMHC average rent |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor or studio | $1,320 | $1,441 |
| One-bedroom | $1,550 | $1,582 |
| Two-bedroom | $1,890 | $1,914 |
| Three-bedroom | $2,180 | $2,171 |
Vancouver
A one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver was listed at $2,280 a month on average in the second quarter of 2026 and a two-bedroom at $3,030, changes of -4.2% and -4.1% from a year earlier. The purpose-built vacancy rate rose to 3.7%, CMHC’s highest reading for the Vancouver area in more than 30 years, while rent for the same units rose 2.2%. CMHC says higher youth unemployment and slow wage growth cut demand for studios and one-bedrooms.
| Unit size | Asking rent | CMHC average rent |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor or studio | $2,000 | $1,667 |
| One-bedroom | $2,280 | $1,806 |
| Two-bedroom | $3,030 | $2,363 |
| Three-bedroom | $4,150 | $3,009 |
Ottawa
A one-bedroom apartment in Ottawa was listed at $1,900 a month on average in the second quarter of 2026 and a two-bedroom at $2,360, changes of -2.6% and -2.9% from a year earlier. The purpose-built vacancy rate rose to 3.0%, which CMHC puts down partly to new completions and slower demand, including fewer international students. Rent for the same units rose 3.4%. Figures are for the Ontario part of the Ottawa-Gatineau area.
| Unit size | Asking rent | CMHC average rent |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor or studio | $1,550 | $1,331 |
| One-bedroom | $1,900 | $1,594 |
| Two-bedroom | $2,360 | $1,926 |
| Three-bedroom | $2,740 | $2,203 |
Edmonton
A one-bedroom apartment in Edmonton was listed at $1,260 a month on average in the second quarter of 2026 and a two-bedroom at $1,570, changes of -2.3% and -2.5% from a year earlier. The purpose-built vacancy rate rose to 3.8%: CMHC says completions stayed well above historical averages while demand growth slowed with higher youth unemployment and weaker household formation. Rent for the same units rose 3.5%.
| Unit size | Asking rent | CMHC average rent |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor or studio | $1,070 | $1,108 |
| One-bedroom | $1,260 | $1,301 |
| Two-bedroom | $1,570 | $1,603 |
| Three-bedroom | $1,910 | $1,793 |
Winnipeg
A one-bedroom apartment in Winnipeg was listed at $1,320 a month on average in the second quarter of 2026 and a two-bedroom at $1,660, changes of 3.9% and 1.8% from a year earlier. The purpose-built vacancy rate rose to 2.8% as supply grew faster than demand, with the increase in suburban neighbourhoods, CMHC says. Rent for the same units rose 1.9%.
| Unit size | Asking rent | CMHC average rent |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor or studio | $1,060 | $915 |
| One-bedroom | $1,320 | $1,232 |
| Two-bedroom | $1,660 | $1,571 |
| Three-bedroom | $1,970 | $1,861 |
Halifax
A one-bedroom apartment in Halifax was listed at $1,880 a month on average in the second quarter of 2026 and a two-bedroom at $2,400, changes of 4.4% and 5.3% from a year earlier. The purpose-built vacancy rate rose slightly, to 2.7%, with slower migration and steady growth in supply, according to CMHC. Rent for the same units rose 6.7%.
| Unit size | Asking rent | CMHC average rent |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor or studio | $1,560 | $1,362 |
| One-bedroom | $1,880 | $1,540 |
| Two-bedroom | $2,400 | $1,826 |
| Three-bedroom | $2,940 | $2,251 |
Victoria
A one-bedroom apartment in Victoria was listed at $2,040 a month on average in the second quarter of 2026 and a two-bedroom at $2,640, changes of -2.4% and -2.6% from a year earlier. The purpose-built vacancy rate rose to 3.3%, the highest since 1999, as a weak job market for younger people reduced demand, CMHC says. Rent for the same units rose 5.1%.
| Unit size | Asking rent | CMHC average rent |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor or studio | $1,670 | $1,349 |
| One-bedroom | $2,040 | $1,625 |
| Two-bedroom | $2,640 | $2,120 |
| Three-bedroom | $3,260 | $2,886 |
How the sources measure rent
CMHC runs its Rental Market Survey once a year in the first two weeks of October, sampling privately initiated buildings with at least 3 rental units in urban areas of 10,000 people or more. Its rents may or may not include heat, electricity and hot water. Statistics Canada’s Quarterly Rent Statistics average listings on major rental platforms and don’t adjust for differences in quality such as parking or finishes. Rentals.ca’s report uses monthly listings on its own network and says its figures differ from CMHC’s.
Where to go next
For more on two cities, see rent in Toronto and rent in Montreal. To set a budget, try the rent affordability calculator; to weigh renting against owning, the rent vs buy calculator and average house prices. Other household costs are on our cost of living pages.
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them between September 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026. How we check facts.
- CMHC: Rental Market Survey Data Tables
- datawrapper.dwcdn.net: Document
- datawrapper.dwcdn.net: Data table
- datawrapper.dwcdn.net: Data table
- datawrapper.dwcdn.net: Document
- Rentals.ca: Rentals.ca National Rent Report
- Rentals.ca: National Rents Fall for First Time in Five Months as Annual Decline Widens to 4.8%
- Statistics Canada: Asking rent and paid rent prices, by rental unit type and number of bedrooms,…
- Statistics Canada: Data table